APRIL 19, 1999

Salo on standby for BAR

BRITISH AMERICAN RACING says that Mika Salo has agreed to stand in for the injured Ricardo Zonta, if the Brazilian youngster is not fit to race at Imola at the end of the month. Zonta crashed heavily in practice for the Brazilian GP at Interlagos and suffered damage to a tendon in his left foot. Doctors in Sao Paulo said that usually such injuries take around six weeks to mend but Zonta is hoping to get over the problem in half the time.

He left the hospital early last week with a lightweight cast on his leg although this was due to be removed. He has kept up his physical training as best he can so as to keep up his strength and stamina. The Brazilian may be able to drive in Imola but the fact that he will not have done any testing will make it risky as the tendon damage could cause considerable pain, particularly when Zonta uses the brakes.

The team is due to test with Jacques Villeneuve and probably Salo as well in Jerez this week. The team's test driver Patrick Lemarie is also expected to appear, although he may have to stand down so that Salo gets as much testing as possible in the car which, to date, has proved to be rather skittish and not easy to drive.